Ash receptacle and mounting means



Nov. 1, 1960 s. F. DUPREE, JR

ASH RECEPTACLE AND MOUNTING MEANS Filed June 12, 1958 FIG.5

FIG.2

R Ta R P U mD F L E U M A S ATTORNEY United States Patent 9 ASH RECEPTACLE AND MOUNTING MEANS Samuel F. Dupree, Jr., 3468 Hughes Blvd., Toledo 6, Ohio Filed June 12, 1958, Ser. No. 741,584 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-86) This invention relates to ash trays or receptacles and is particularly directed to means for attaching such receptacles to upholstered articles such as the seat cushions of automobiles and the arm or seat cushions of furniture.

An object of the invention is to provide an ash receptacle with mounting bracket means readily attached to and detached from a seat cushion, whether or not such cushion is provided with a trim bead such as is presently used to ornament the cushions of vehicle seats and the like. The mounting bracket, and thus the ash receptacle, may be attached to the trim head or to the cushion adjacent the juncture of its top and front faces, the unit being detachable from the cushion for ready removal for ,cleaning or for storage when not in use.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from a study of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ash receptacle with the cover open to illustrate details of construction,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the mounting means in assembled relation with an ash receptacle,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail view through the ash receptacle and mounting bracket attached to the trim bead of the seat cushion,

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a supplemental mounting bracket which may be utilized with the mounting means of the invention,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional detail view taken substantially on a line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the invention has been illustrated in connection with an ash tray or receiver 30 having a body or ash receiver portion 31 and a tiltable cover 32 pivotally connected to the body 31.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the cover is pivoted as at 34 so as to tilt forwardly to expose a guard or tray 35, inclined toward the interior of the body and provided with a holder 37 having a notch 38 adapted to receive the lighted end of a cigarette or the like. Adjacent holder 37 is a snuffer portion 3i! so positioned, due to the inclination of tray 35, that there is little likelihood of sparks or ashes falling on the upholstery when a cigarette is snuffed out.

The receptacle body 31 is provided with front, side, bottom and back walls of unitary formation, the back wall 40 of the receptacle body being provided with a central aperture or cut-out portion 42. Tray 35 is formed with a depending portion 44 having a tongue 45 slit and bent out of the plane thereof. The tongue 45 is pierced and formed at 46 to provide a spring seat, which, upon being assembled with the body 31, projects into the receptacle through aperture 42. To facilitate assembly, the tray 35 and spring seat 46 are initially bent so as to be substantially parallel, permitting ready insertion of the spring seat into the aperture 42. Subsequently, the tray 35 may be further bent downwardly to hold the same in its proper position with respect to the receptacle body 31, so that in effect the spring seat 46 is rigid with the body 31. The

2,958,426 Patented Nov. 1, 1960 depending portion 44 is further formed to fit closely adjacent the back wall 40. To this wall is suitably secured, as by riveting at 41, 41, a clamping bracket assembly.

With particular reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the clamping or attaching bracket is illustrated generally at 50. The bracket consists of relatively adjustable front and rear parts or plates 51 and 52. The top edge of the front plate 51 is provided with a flange 53 while the upper edge of the rear plate 52 is provided with a flange 54, which flanges are further formed with gripping jaws or edges 55 and 56, respectively. The rear bracket member 52 is also provided with a tongue 58, slit and bent out of the plane of the bracket and has an inclined portion 59, which as shown in Fig. 3, is adapted to engage the cushion below the trim bead to support the unit in a generally upright position.

Front bracket member 51 is provided with a tongue 66 slit and bent out of the plane thereof, which tongue is pierced and formed at 62 to provide a spring seat similar to seat 46. The lower edge of the front bracket member 51 is flanged as at 64 to provide an actuator for the jaw 55 against the action of a spring 65 interposed between the seat 46 and the seat 62. As shown particularly in Fig. l, the side margins of the rear bracket member are assembled flush with the depending portion 44 of tray 35. The intermediate portion of member 52 is pressed outwardly to provide a groove or channel 67 for the reception of the front bracket member. The channel 67 provides means for retaining the front and rear bracket members in assembled relation and permits relative sliding adjustment therebetween. The spring 65 tends to hold the jaws 55 and 56 in gripping relation or engagement with the trim bead as will be clearly understood. When it is desired to remove the unit from the support with which it is used, the smoker needs only to place the forefingers across the top of the trap and push upwardly against actuator 64 with the thumb. This compresses spring 65 and. moves the jaws 55 and 56 to open position.

in the event that the ash receptacle of the present invention is used with a cushion not provided with a trim bead, the receptacle may be attached by means shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Such means has been illustrated as including an adapter plate 79, the upper edge of which has been rolled or bent back upon itself as at 71 to provide a transversely extending lip 72. The lower edge of plate 70 is cut out at 74 to provide for the reception of the tongue 58 of the attaching bracket Stl. A pair of double pointed pins '75 are secured to one face of the plate 70 by means of large headed rivets as at 76. As shown in Fig. 5 the pins 75 are doubled back upon themselves so as to project downwardly so that the points may pierce the upholstering material and project into the cushion. The lip 72 is adapted to be gripped by the jaws 55 and 56 of the clamping members of the bracket 50 much in the same manner as these jaws engage the trim bead.

It will be clear that an ash receptacle has been provided which is capable of being attached to a seat cushion by attaching means provided with spring loaded jaw elements formed integral with the bracket members rigidly attached to the receptacle for securely but removably attaching the ash receptacle to the forward edge of a seat cushion. When used in an automotive vehicle, for example, it will be clear that the ash receptacle may be conveniently located in a position easily reached by the operator or passenger and that the ash receptacle may be readily utilized by the occupant of the seat without distraction from the duties of driving the vehicle.

What is claimed is:

1. An ash receiver having front, side, bottom and back walls in unitary relation, the back wall being provided with an aperture, a tray member having a depending portion adjacent said back wall, a spring seat formed in the depending portion and extending through said aperture, a mounting bracket secured to said back wall and overlying said depending portion and consisting of a pair of inner and outer relatively adjustable clamping members having their upper edges formed with cooperating flange jaws to grip a support, said inner clamping member being provided with a spring seat extending through the aperture in said receiver, spring means between said spring seats to urge said jaws into engagement with the support, and said outer clamping member being provided with an outwardly extending tongue engageable with the support and cooperating with said jaws to position said ash receiver in a generally upright position.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the inner clamping member is provided with a flange underlying the receiver by which said spring means may be compressed to release said jaws from the support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

